Osbornes are coming in

[keithandre]

After P.O.B. gave the new club a mention, and printed a nice picture of ALRUSS 'Humming Bird' a Kingswift tearing down the lower Thames. I have received e-mails & letters from Osborne owners wanting to join our club. If any of you know or meet an
Osborne owner, please spread the word. And thanks for putting up with me banging on about Osbornes for so long. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I note that in an earlier post you are asking for information on boats Osborne's built. Were you aware that they produced the Merlin Yacht Sloop in the late 1930's? They were very similar to a Hillyard, but were centreboarders and double diagonal, 26 ft.long. They had a very interesting history. Osborns laid up three before the war but were unable to finsh them off because of Admiralty work and the shells lay bare until after the war when a Mr. Asserjohn, I think it was, saw the shells and offered to mtake them off Osborn's hands. He had them fitted out at Burnes of Bosham and sold two but kept one for himself. She was number 3 and called Betty Rose. He sold her to a Mr.Renton , who kept her in Portmadoc and Pwllheli and he later sold her to the late Pete Leavers and myself. We had her from 1974 to 1984 and then she was sold on and I lost touch with her, but I do know the ironmonger in Portmadoc had her and restored her to a very fine state and later took her back to Pwllheli. I don't know if she is still there. I saw one of the others at Hoo Marina about 15 years ago but there was no one aboard to speak to. I think I saw the other advertised in Boats for Sale about 10 years ago but cannot be sure. We sailed Betty Rose all over the Welsh Coast and visited the Clyde twice, the East Coast of Ireland and took her up the Bristol Channel to George Judge's yard just North of Worcester to burn off and repaint her-all 4000 or so rivets to be stopped before painting-what a job! Unfortunately I handed over all the historical stuff , including Osborn's brochure when I sold her but if I find a photograph I'll post it to you. Good Luck with your group.

 

[keithandre]

Thank you, we are finding out more and more about Osbornes, and I am always pleased to learn more. I am going to do a first news letter for club members in the new year, anything like this will be used as part of the history.

Thanks again,

Keithl